NOvA near detector sees first neutrinos

The NOvA near detector recently detected its first neutrinos. Pictured here is the event display. Photo: Reidar Hahn

On May 20, scientists in the NOvA collaboration announced that the experiment's near detector saw its first NuMI neutrinos. The detection of these neutrinos means the instrument is responding as it should to the particles, which are known for being difficult to capture. The NOvA collaboration expects the construction of the near detector to be completed in July.

In Brief

Tim Meyer, new COO, starts today

Today is Tim Meyer's first day at Fermilab. He will assume the role of chief operating officer on July 1. Read about him in this earlier Fermilab Today article.

Feature

Lessons from license plates

Fermilab scientist John Cooper has collected two years' worth of data on the states represented in the Wilson Hall parking lot's license plates.

At Fermilab, the close parking spaces go to those who arrive early. John Cooper is not an early riser, so on the long walks from his car every morning, he does mental exercises in order to prepare for his workday.

Beginning in early 2012, the NOvA project manager began memorizing the out-of-state license plates he saw each morning. Cooper believes that the results from the two-year exercise show that Fermilab truly is a national place.

"I was seeing a lot of out-of-state license plates and I thought there were more than before," Cooper said. "It reminded me of when I was a kid. My parents and I counted license plates from different states when we took road trips."

Once he got to his desk each day, Cooper logged into a spreadsheet the state plates that he had seen. He had a mechanism for remembering the plates, such as CC for two California plates, and weeded out rental cars by looking for their bar codes or stickers.

"I suspect most of the cars are those of students and postdocs stationed here at Fermilab for long enough times to make the drive worth it. In that sense, we have visual evidence that we serve the entire nation in training younger people in science," Cooper said.

During the two years of counting, Cooper recorded plates from 47 of the 50 states and from the District of Columbia. He spoke to a few of the out-of-state drivers, who were at the lab to work on experiments or as part of scientific or computing collaborations.

While the exercise wasn't scientific, Cooper said he did find the data interesting.

"It means we are a really national laboratory," he said. "We have a world-class laboratory in Illinois and it serves the entire country."

Barb Brooks, deputy head of WDRS, echoed Cooper's assessment.

"Members of Fermilab's community come from all over," she said. "At any given point in time you might be sharing office space with someone from Washington state and having lunch with someone from Washington, D.C. There aren't many places in the world, let alone in the United States, where you can do the kind of research we do here. It makes sense that our population is so geographically diverse."

—Rhianna Wisniewski

In the News

It's crunch time for dark matter if WIMPs don't show

From New Scientist, May 28, 2014

Roads may soon diverge in the dark matter wood, and some physicists want to take the ones less travelled.

The most promising candidate for a dark matter particle could be about to show itself at last, as it is running out of places to hide. But should the hunters fail to bag one of these WIMPs, or weakly interacting massive particles, the search for dark matter could be thrown into crisis.

At a meeting in Cambridge, Massachusetts, last week, researchers debated the best paths forward into the wilder landscape of less-favoured candidates, from alternate particles to changes to our theory of gravity.

'No evidence for or against gravitational waves'

From Nature, May 29, 2014

The astronomers who this spring announced that they had evidence of primordial gravitational waves jumped the gun because they did not take into proper account a confounding effect of galactic dust, two new analyses suggest. Although further observations may yet find the signal to emerge from the noise, independent experts now say they no longer believe that the original data constituted significant evidence.

Don't let Mother Nature spoil your summer fun

As we approach the end of spring and prepare to say hello to warmer days, be aware of hazards that can ruin your summer.

Working outside in the sun and heat can expose you to hazards such as heat exhaustion, heat strokes, skin cancer and dehydration. Ultraviolet rays are the most damaging element of sunlight. Cumulative exposure to UV radiation can cause damage to the cornea and lead to cataracts or even permanent blindness. When working outdoors, take the following precautions to reduce your risks:

wear long sleeves, long pants and a hat.

apply a generous amount of sun block with an SPF rating of at least 15.

apply sunblock at least a half hour before going outdoors.

wear UV-blocking sunglasses.

drink plenty of alcohol-free liquids to stay hydrated.

When working, sporting or just having fun outdoors, you may also encounter bees and wasps. Alertness and awareness is the key to avoiding bee and wasp stings. Always watch where you place your hands, and keep away from heavily perfumed soaps, laundry detergents and additives, as well as colognes, hair products, lotions, oils and flowery deodorants. These strongly scented products attract bees and wasps.

Be careful when eating fruits and sugary food outside. Cover all food and drinks. Bees and wasps are notorious for crawling into drink cans unnoticed.

If you do get stung by a bee, scrape the stinger off with a fingernail or other straight edge. Do not remove a bee stinger with tweezers or by squeezing it between two fingers, as it will squeeze the venom into the skin. Wash the affected area with soap and water. Ice can reduce the swelling of a bee sting. Resist the urge to scratch the bee sting, as it will irritate the skin and prolong your discomfort.

Don't let Mother Nature spoil your summer fun.

—J.B. Dawson

In Brief

Feynman diagram art exhibit gets a new addition

New Feynman diagram sculptures were installed over the weekend in the Fermilab Art Gallery. Photo: Reidar Hahn

On Saturday, 32 new stainless steel Feynman diagrams were installed in the Fermilab Art Gallery. The addition supplements the exhibit "The Cognitive Art of Feynman Diagrams," which will close on June 26.